06/07/2026

SPORTS MONDAY | JULY 6, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP

UNWAVERING SUPPORT … A picture montage of Paraguay vs France fans at Philadelphia Stadium, alongside Canada vs Morocco supporters at Houston Stadium during yesterday’s 2026 Fifa World Cup last 16 matches. – REUTERSPIC FANZONE

Asia’s poor WC showing Lack of individual quality, worst performance since 2014 with only three wins in 29 matches A SIA’S flimsy World Cup challenge finally fizzled out in Dallas on Friday with Australia’s penalty shootout loss to Egypt extinguish three group matches. The same was true of an Iraq side mak ing their return to the finals for the first time in 40 years but, drawn in a group alongside France, Norway and Senegal, Graham Arnold’s team always faced a daunting challenge.

TOUCHLINES

BOURNEMOUTH’S 22-year-old English midfielder Alex Scott is wanted by Arsenal, Man United, Man City and Chelsea. ARSENAL have agreed to sell Belgium forward Leandro Trossard, 31, to Turkish side Besiktas for £17m (RM92m). MAN UNITED and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 21, remains on Real Madrid’s radar as they look to reinforce their midfield. MAN CITY have told would-be suitors, including Real Madrid, that Portugal defender Ruben Dias, 29, is not for sale this summer. COMO are preparing a bid worth around £30m (RM163m) for Chelsea and England defender Trevoh Chalobah, 26. ROMA are ready to accelerate a £38.5m (RM209m) move for Marseille’s English forward Mason Greenwood, 24. PSG know they would likely have to offer a historic fee to prise Argentine forward Julian Alvarez, 26, away from Atletico Madrid. ATLETICO MADRID are preparing a new offer for Sporting captain Morten Hjulmand after having a £30m bid rejected for the Denmark midfielder. WEST HAM are interested in signing Everton’s English winger Dwight McNeil, 26, this summer. FORMER Netherlands defender Daley Blind, 36, is closing in on a return to Ajax after leaving Spanish club Girona.

their opening game against the Czech Republic, before losses to Mexico and South Africa led to an acrimonious exit. Iran, meanwhile, left the tournament undefeated following draws against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt despite deal ing with a host of off-field issues caused by the country’s conflict with the United States. “Throughout this tournament, the Asian teams were well organised, disciplined and tactically solid,” former Japan and Qatar coach Philippe Troussier told Reuters . “However, they often lacked the individ ual quality needed to change the course of a game. “At a World Cup, good organisation is essential, but at the highest level you also need players who can create something special in one moment.” There were moments of individual qual ity from the Asian contingent, but they were fleeting. Eldor Shomurodov’s looping strike for Uzbekistan against DR Congo was one of the goals of the tournament while Jordan’s Mousa Altamari was the first player to net against defending champions Argentina in the 2026 finals. Neither nation, both making their World Cup debut, was able to avoid losing all

ing the confederation’s hopes of salvaging anything positive from a dismal campaign. Three wins from the 29 matches played across North America were a meagre return for the nine nations representing a region comprising more than half of the world’s population on the sport’s greatest stage. Despite sending its largest-ever contin gent to the World Cup, no Asian nation qualified for the last 16 for the first time since Brazil in 2014. The failings of the region’s leading lights were familiar. Japan and Australia were defeated in the first knockout round, just as the Japanese were in 2018 and 2022 and the Socceroos in Qatar four years ago. Neither nation has won a match in the elimination rounds of the World Cup in eight collective attempts. The pair did, at least, manage to pro gress through the group phase, unlike South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Iraq and Qatar. Of those seven, only a South Korea side beset by internal issues secured a win, in

The performances of Saudi Arabia and Qatar were lamentable with neither of the big-spending Gulf states able to secure a victory as they finished bottom of their groups. Asia’s faltering performances drew unflattering comparisons with those of African nations, many of which have bene fited hugely by tapping into their European diaspora, a resource that does not exist for many Asian countries. “Tournaments are often decided by the quality of the substitutes as much as by the starting 11,” said Troussier. “Japan’s first team was competitive, but injuries limited their attacking options when they needed them most. “That, in my view, is the biggest differ ence compared with many African teams. “They have greater depth, more players competing in Europe’s elite leagues, and more experience of performing at the high est level. In a World Cup, that experience often makes the difference.” – Reuters